M. Nikkonen, THE LIFE SITUATION OF A LONG-TERM PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENT - SOME RESTRICTIONS IN, AND POSSIBILITIES OF, OPEN CARE, Journal of advanced nursing, 22(1), 1995, pp. 101-109
This paper describes and analyses, from a sociocultural viewpoint, the
ways of life of discharged long-term psychiatric patients in northern
Finland. The paper focuses on subjectivity: control of life and funda
mental experiences in life. The data consist of interviews with 25 out
patients who have moved to live in residential homes, rehabilitation c
entres or their own homes after receiving preparatory training in the
psychiatric hospital. The findings suggest that the way of life of the
outpatients did not significantly differ from that of other people be
longing to the same generation of Finns. With respect to control of li
fe, a conspicuous feature was the strong tendency to let themselves be
led by others, and to self-sacrifice for the good of others. For the
patients, independence was the best aspect of open care. Fear for bein
g branded as a psychiatric case or as a former mental patient threaten
ed the patients' external control of life. The central element of cont
rol of life of the Finns is work. The outpatients thought work a matte
r of honour and they did not find their present, inactive way of life
satisfactory.